Rim



July 29, 1952 J, E HALE j 2,604,921

RIM

Filed NOV. 15, 1946 VIII/[lll] I NVENTOR i AMES LHALf.

BY wf vrin g `flanges formed integrally tions.' `However,- the use of such rim construc- Patented July 29, `1952 v/f'Ihisv invention relates V to rims for pneumatic tire's especiallyfto rims adapted-'to carry truck tires. u The primary problem in tire mounting is 'that 'he'tire`-beads willY be chafed and flexed literally Vthousandsof timesin `the life of th'e tire if the beads of the tire are not rmly engaged bythe tirerim1and side flangesv when'the tire is operatively vmountedthereon. IThis h as led to the formation of special Atapered bead seats on rim lbasesadjacent the side flanges thereofand has 'required that 'the vrims be formed from sections thati'are separable sov that the tire can be posi- 'tioned on the special bead seats provided. The 1 -,ightpos itionirjig of tiregbeads is, ofcourse, ma- "terially affected -by the cooperationj of the rim side flanges vandi-rim base.` Where avsid'ilange is removable with'relation to the rim seat, it is dif- -cultfto realize the tight .bead positioning' desired.' Thenftoo, if the side'fiange is improperly formedjthe tire bead may rock on the rim flange and fthisjiiexure 'will reduce the life of the tire.

'-fiHeretofore, many types of Arims'have been proposed-' and one construction which has proven quitesat'isfactory for mounting truck tires tightly thereon has been a rim made from rim sections which are coupled together by means of bolts that extend axially through radially inwardly extendwith the rim sec- VVtionsy -is somewhat vunsatisfactory' since appreciable vtime andlabor is required to secure the -rim sections vtoge'ether while itis also is difcult to' determine whether all ofthe pressure in the tire is removed before completely freeing the rim "sections fromI each other. This style of rim constructionA also is undesirable because it is rela- 'tvely heavy.- Other types of rims proposedfor objectionable because they have beentoo'h'eav'y, kor too complicated to manufacture to b'e readily' assembled and disassem- "bledl havenot been provided with safety members toI prevent their disengagement when it is unsafe j to disengage vthem,V or 'have not tightly seated-the tire beads on the rim.

The'general object ofthe present invention is to avoid and' overcome the foregoing and other 'disadvantages 'of and objections to known types of tire rims and to provide an improved rim construction which is characterized by the rxnness of itstire mounting action and by its inherent safety construction that prevents its release when pressure exists in a tire mounted thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide alowi-zeost, light-weight, sturdy rim construction. .L1A further object of the invention is to provide PATENT ffQFFICE v RIMAv Ohio, assigner to TheFirefr -Mstone lTire b1-Rubber CompanyyAkrom, Ohio,

"iacorporationof Ohio x j Application November 13, 1946, serialv No. 7031.558

' a'rirn'V construction-"which"does not require-a tire protecting 'ilap"fi n a? tire mountedvthere'n.

Anotherl'object off'the invention "is to provide properly andfs'afely in-locking position or else clearlyf'notin such" locking positioni-'f Y v'A further object of the inventionistoprovide a rim construction which, when mounting aninfiated tir'e thereon, `will-"have atight and'immov- 4ii't and other 'foreign material will be kept out'offthetireassembly; l'

' A furtherobject of 'the invention-is to provide 20 a dividedf'rim construction' that' can befeither fixedly or removably associated with its'mountin'g WheeL L L Q i L -Yet another object is lto provide 'a circumferentially divided-rim which will not come. apart when' run with-the tire-thereon flat.' i' 2' 1 The foregoing and-other'objectsV and "advan- `tages'of the inventiongwhich will become apparentras the specification" proceedsfare achieved by the provision, v.broadlysleakinglof a 'cylindrical riml sectionI ha'vinga' tire= engaging side 'flange portion at one "edge -tlieredf' ande-a"Y radiallyjinwardly extending lock" ri'ig'en'ga'ging flange atr the oppositeedge thereof, la se'condannular rimsection `having ab'eaden'gaging 'flange Ithereon Tand av portionf adapted toengage .with the.r cylindrical rim section,' whichfsecondrim'f.section falso has a radially inwardly. extending lock rin'gl .engaging flange, Sandi a split lock ring" adaptedto:v engage with-'the lockring' `flanges `onVv the rim? sections to secure the'section'stogether.. i

i Attention'is. directed* toer-fthe? accompanying drawings' for disclosure- 'of .an operative Aembodiment ofthe inventioni,.'wherein: 1,.;. f

Fig. 1 :is a transverse vertical sectionlofv a; rim embodying thev principles of .the inventionxwith the release positioniof vthe .lockring being indicated in bokenlines; i r f 1 Fig.,.2 i's .afragmentary sidexelevation ofthe rim of Fig.v 1 with Athe locking' ring being shown in partially unlocked position;

Fig. 3iis a fragmentary sectionr of the locking portion of ,the rim 'in assembled but unlocked-positiomand' l Y Fig. 4 shows a modificationof the'rim of the invention. y

Referring nowin-.detail to' the structure shown a tire T mounted on the rim, as is customary preferred tire mounting constructions today. The

rim section Ill also has a circumferentially ex be impossible'forwater orot'her foreignv'material i to .enter the 2 rim` whereby' corrosion of: same, or

deterioration of the tire is substantially prevented.

Due to the annular construction of the rim section I5 and its cylindrical portion I6, it will tending, radially inwardly offset portion 'Ipfgj cannot` easily be distorted or bent in any manany desired width formed on its edge remote from'vr the flange II for a purpose which will be explained more clearly hereafter.

A second annular rim section i5 is'prbvided to form the second annular portion of thefcircu'mi,

ferentially divided rim of the invention and this section I5 has a tire engaging flangeformed integrally therewith while a cylindrical section I6 is formed on the rim section I5 and such section I6 is adapted to telescope snugly over the radially outer surface of the annular `oisetportiom I4 to engage the rim sections Illand I5 for support action. A radially inwardly extending locking lla-nge I1 is also provided on the rim section I5 and such flange I'I is adapted to lie immediately adjacent and, if desired, in contact with the surface of the lock ilange I2 when the portion I6 is in engagement with the offset section I4 of the rim section I0. 1

In order to preventundesired separationgof the rim sections I0 and I5, and to secure such,l J

sections together., a transverselyl split, .resilient locking ring I8 is secured, removably, to the locking flanges I2 and I1 to retain the rim sections together. The locking ring I8 is roughly Q or channel shaped in section and is provided with two arms I9 the inner surfaces of which have continuous annular lips 20 formed thereon on the inner edges thereof. These lips 2U, as a special feature of the invention, are adapted to engage with lips 2I and 22 that are formedjon the outer edges of the flanges I2 and I1, respectively, when the rim sections are forced apart in an axial direction, so that a locked engagement position is providedfor the locking ring I8.

It will be realized that when' a pneumatic tire is positioned upon the rim of the invention, and such tire is inated, such tire sets up a separating or transversely directed force on the associated rim sections I0 and I5 whereby they arevurged apart by an axially directed force. Suchforce will occasion continued engagement of theclips 20 with the lips 2I and 22 and prevent disengagement of the locking ring when such vpressure exists in a tire carried bythe rim. However.

when all of the pressure` in the pneumatic tire mounted on the Vrim is released, then `the rim sections are relatively freely movable with relation to each other'andy thelocking ring, I8 can be progressively pried off of the locking flanges I2 and Il or onto the flanges when Vassembling ,g

a tire on the rim of the invention.

The rim section I5 also is provided with a tapered bead seat portion 23v on its radially outer surface 'for firmly' and. tightly positioning the second bead of the tire T. ASince the section I0 extends substantially across thebase vofthe tire T carried by .the rim of `the invention, and only the second tire bead contacts the rim section I5, it may not be necessary to use a tube protecting flap with the tire T since the tube carried/on Y such mounted tireV is only-exp'osedttoy :the 'cylinoperational feature.Vv

be-seen that vthe section is of high strength and vis such that it snugly engages the flanges I2 and I'I, as 'shown in Figs. 1 and 3. v f

Since a pneumatic tire. when operated Vwhen flat still has some laterally outwardly directed forces set up therein, and due to the locking vring being fixed in engagement with the locking flanges, the rim of the invention will not come aparteven though operated when flat. The' engagement of the cylindrical section I5 of therim lsection IS with the offset llllcontributesto this `Since the locking ring IB is progressively pried into or out of engagement `witlrthe locking flanges andgno bolts or clamps are associated with it, the rim sections can easily be secured together or released from each other when the tire VT is deilated and the rimsections are freely movable axially with relation to each other. Atool receiving slot 25 is provided in the ring I8 adjacent one end thereof to facilitate working the ring into orout of its locked position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a safe rim construction Vis provided because one-will immediately be able to determine whether the locking ring is -in proper locking position before Vattempting to inflate a tire mounted onthe rim.

Likewise, the locking ring cannotibe released from engagement with the locking Vflanges when the tire is inilatedxduerto .the lips 2I and 22 re- .maining lin engagement with the lips 28 on the locking, ring. Eurthermorathe rim design Vreduces radial runvout to a. minimum. Thus, a

safe, easilyvr manufactured, inexpensive, sturdy rim construction is provided that is V`especially suited for mounting large truck tires, yand the `objects ofthe invention are achieved.

` Eig. 4 shows al rim 30 which is adapted to be lremovably mounted on a wheel -whereasthe rim ofFigS. 1 and/3 is usually xedly associated-with ,the wheel on which it is mounted with only the section I5 and lock ring l I8 being removable. The rim 3i) has a cylindrical `member I!)a andan annular `section I5au that are the same as the memberl and section V,I5 while .a slightly .different type of locking ring l3l is provided. The ring 3l istransversely split, like-the ring I8, but it has a substantially V shaped or tapered radiallyY inner surface 3.2.k The ring 3| then is used to position the rim Y3Gon a complementaryntaperedseat 33 on a 4wheel 34 and is-removably secured thereto I by any desired conventional means,such Vas lugs 35 and cap screws 3B .that

engage with the wheel 34 so as to clamp the lugs 35 against the ring 3l to secure it to the wheel.

l To mount the rim fixedly on the wheel, it is advisable to have the lock anges l2EL and l'lat of the member lilEL and section I5a bottom on the ring 3|, as shown.

Then slight radial clearance is provided beand the lock anges l2 and I'l will be spacedv from the base of the lock ring I8. It will be observed that the load on the rim 30 is transmitted to the wheel 34 solely through the ring 3l and this narrow load transmittal area is desirable in many instances.

The invention, it will be seen, broadly relates to a circumferentially divided rim the sections of which telescope into engagement and have radially inwardly extending integral flanges engageable with a split lock ring for securing the rim sections together.

In accordance with the patent statutes, at least one embodiment of the invention has been shown and disclosed herein in detail. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the construction shown but that the invention is dened in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a tire rim, the combination of a circular rim base comprising a side flange having an inclined bead seat cylindrical on its radial inner surface and sloped on its radial outer surface formed integral therewith, a removable endless side flange ring and a removable transversely split lock ring at the opposite lateral margin from said flange formed integrally with said rim base, said rim base being offset radially inwardly at its edge portion opposite said integral ange, the radial outer edge of said rim base portion terminating in a radially inwardly turned edge, which edge has a circumferentially extending groove formed in its lateral inwardside and its lateral outer face being substantially perpendicular to the surface of said rim base portion; said removable ange ring having a laterally projecting portion sloped on its radially outer surface and being adapted to overlie said oiset portion of said base, said sloped surface forming a substantially continuing surface with the outer surface of the rim base when the rim is assembled, said removable ange ring having a radially inwardly projecting edge complemental to the radially inwardly turned edge of said rim base portion, the lateral outer face of the inturned edge of the removable ilange ring having a circumferentially extending groove therein; said lock ring being channel shape in section with the channel opening radially outwardly, the sides of said channel being parallel and having a laterally inwardly extending marginal rib on each of said sides adapted to cooperate with the grooves in said rim base and removable ilange ring whereby said rim base and side flange ring are completely locked together, said rim base and side ange ring completely overlying said lock ring radially outwardly thereof.

JAMES E. HALE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 872,836 Mell Dec. 3, 1907 960,983 Mell June '7, 1910 1,094,509 Wirth Apr. 28, 1914 1,095,349 Osborne l May 5, 1914 1,160,977 Capithorn Nov. 16, 1915 1,583,994 Randall May 11, 1926 1,595,835 Atkins Aug. 10,V 1926 1,718,697 Littman June 25, 1929 1,819,403 Baker Aug. 18, 1931 2,149,205 Brink Feb. 28, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 628,957 France of 1927 752,132 France 1933 

